the signory was abolished, Alessandro created gonfaloniere for life, and his lordship made hereditary in his family by imperial patent. Thus Florence lost her liberty, and came to be the capital of the duchy (afterwards grand-duchy) of Tuscany (see Tuscany).
The Medici dynasty ruled in Tuscany until the death of Gian Gastone in 1737, when the grand-duchy was assigned to Francis, duke of Lorraine. But it was governed by a regency until 1753, when it was conferred by the empress Maria Theresa on his son Peter Leopold. During the The Grand-Duchy of Tuscany. Napoleonic wars the grand-duke Ferdinand III. of Habsburg-Lorraine was driven from the throne, and Tuscany was annexed to the French empire in 1808. In 1809 Florence was made capital of the kingdom of Etruria, but after the fall of Napoleon in 1814 Ferdinand was reinstated. He died in 1833, and was succeeded by Leopold II. In 1848 there was a liberal revolutionary movement in Florence, and Leopold granted a constitution. But civil disorders followed, and in 1849 the grand-duke returned under an Austrian escort. In 1859, after the Franco-Italian victories over the Austrians in Lombardy, by a bloodless revolution in Florence Leopold was expelled and Tuscany annexed to the Sardinian kingdom.
In 1865 Florence became the capital of the kingdom of Italy, but after the occupation of Rome in 1870 during the Franco-Prussian war, the capital was transferred to the Eternal City (1871).
Bibliography.—The best complete history of Florence is Gino Capponi’s Storia della Repubblica di Firenze (2 vols., Florence, 1875), which although defective as regards the earliest times is a standard work based on original authorities; also F. T. Perrens, Histoire de Florence (9 vols., Paris, 1877–1890). For the early period see Pasquale Villari’s I Primi Due Secoli della storia di Firenze (Eng. ed., London, 1894), and R. Davidsohn’s Geschichte der Stadt Florenz (Berlin, 1896); P. Villari’s Savonarola (English ed., London, 1896) is invaluable for the period during which the friar’s personality dominated Florence, and his Machiavelli (English ed., London, 1892) must be also consulted, especially for the development of political theories. Among the English histories of Florence, Napier’s Florentine History (6 vols., London, 1846–1847) and A. Trollope’s History of the Commonwealth of Florence (4 vols., London, 1865) are not without value although out of date. Francis Hyett’s Florence (London, 1903) is more recent and compendious; the author is somewhat Medicean in his views, and frequently inaccurate. For the later history, A. von Reumont’s Geschichte von Toscana (Gotha, 1876–1877) is one of the best works. There is a large number of small treatises and compendia of Florentine history of the guide-book description. See also the bibliographies in Medici, Machiavelli, Savonarola, Tuscany, &c. (L. V.*)
FLORES, an island in the Atlantic Ocean, belonging to
Portugal, and forming part of the Azores archipelago. Pop.
(1900) 8137; area, 57 sq. m. Flores and the adjacent island
of Corvo (pop. 806; area, 7 sq. m.) constitute the westernmost
group of the Azores, and seem but imperfectly to belong to the
archipelago, from the rest of which they are widely severed.
They lie also out of the usual track of navigators; but to those
who, missing their course, are led thither, Flores affords good
shelter in its numerous bays. Its poultry is excellent; and the
cattle are numerous, but small. It derives its name from the
abundance of the flowers that find shelter in its deep ravines. Its
capital is Santa Cruz das Flores (2247). In 1591 Flores was the
station of the English fleet before the famous sea fight between
Sir R. Grenville’s ship “Revenge” and a Spanish fleet of 53
vessels. See Azores.
FLORES, an island of the Dutch East Indies, a member of
the chain extending east of Java. Its length is 224 m., its greatest
breadth 37 m., and its area 5850 sq. m. The existence of slate,
chalk, and sandstone, eruptive rock, volcanoes and heights
stretching west and east, indicates a similar structure to that of
the other islands of the chain. Several volcanoes are active.
Among the loftier summits are, on the south coast, Gunong
Rokka (7940 ft.) and Keo (6560 ft.); with the lesser but constantly
active Gunong Api, forming a peninsula; and at the
south-east, Lobetobi (7120 ft.). The thickly wooded interior
is little explored. The coasts have deep bays and extensive
rounded gulfs, where are situated the principal villages (kampongs).
On the north coast are Bari, Reo, Maumer and Geliting;
on the east, Larantuka; and on the south, Sikka and Endeh.
The rivers, known only at their mouths, seem to be unnavigable.
The mean temperature is 77° to 80° F., and the yearly rainfall
43 to 47 in. For administrative purposes the island is divided
into West Flores (Mangerai), attached to the government
of Celebes, and Middle and East Flores (Larantuka and dependencies),
attached to the residency of Timor. The population
is estimated at 250,000. The people live by trade, fishing,
salt-making, shipbuilding, and the cultivation of rice, maize,
and palms in the plain, but there is little industry or commerce.
Some edible birds’ nests, rice, sandalwood and cinnamon are
exported to Celebes and elsewhere. The inhabitants of the
coast-districts are mainly of Malay origin. The aborigines,
who occupy the interior, are of Papuan stock. They are tall
and well-built, with dark or black skins. The hair is frizzly.
They are pure savages; their only religion is a kind of nature-worship.
They consider the earth holy and inviolable; thus
in severe droughts they only dig the river-beds for water as a
last resource. Portugal claimed certain portions of the island
until 1859.
FLOREZ, ENRIQUE (1701–1773), Spanish historian, was
born at Valladolid on the 14th of February 1701. In his fifteenth
year he entered the order of St Augustine, was afterwards
professor of theology at the university of Alcala, and published
a Cursus theologiae in five volumes (1732–1738). He afterwards
devoted himself to historical studies. Of these the first-fruit
was his Clave Historial, a work of the same class as the French
Art de vérifier les dates, and preceding it by several years. It
appeared in 1743, and passed through many editions. In 1747
was published the first volume of España Sagrada, teatro geografico-historico
de la Iglesia de España, a vast compilation of Spanish
ecclesiastical history which obtained a European reputation,
and of which twenty-nine volumes appeared in the author’s
lifetime. It was continued after his death by Manuel Risco
and others, and further additions have been made at the expense
of the Spanish government. The whole work in fifty-one volumes
was published at Madrid (1747–1886). Its value is considerably
increased by the insertion of ancient chronicles and documents
not easily accessible elsewhere. Florez was a good numismatist,
and published Medallas de las Colonias in 2 vols. (1757–1758), of
which a third volume appeared in 1773. His last work was the
Memorias de las reynas Catolicas, 2 vols. (1770). Florez led a
retired, studious and unambitious life, and died at Madrid
on the 20th of August 1773.
See F. Mendez, Noticia de la vida y escritos de Henrique Florez (Madrid, 1780).
FLORIAN, SAINT, a martyr honoured in Upper Austria. In
the 8th century Puoche was mentioned as the place of his tomb,
and on the site was built the celebrated monastery of canons
regular, St Florian, which still exists. His Acta are of considerable
antiquity, but devoid of historical value. Their substance
is borrowed from the Acta of St Irenaeus of Sirmium. The cult
of St Florian was introduced into Poland, together with the
relics of the saint, which were brought thither in 1183 by Giles,
bishop of Modena. Casimir, duke of Poland, dedicated a church
at Cracow to him. He is represented in various ways, especially
as a warrior holding in his hand a vessel from which he pours
out flames. His protection is often sought against fire. His
day in the calendar is the 4th of May.
See Acta Sanctorum, May, i. 461-467; B. Krusch, Scriptores rerum Merovingicarum, iii. 65-68; C. Cahier, Caractéristiques des saints, p. 490 (Paris, 1867). (H. De.)
FLORIAN, JEAN PIERRE CLARIS DE (1755–1794), French poet and romance writer, was born on the 6th of March 1755 at the château of Florian, near Sauve, in the department of Gard. His mother, a Spanish lady named Gilette de Salgues, died when he was quite a child. His uncle and guardian, the marquis of Florian, who had married a niece of Voltaire, introduced him at Ferney and in 1768 he became page at Anet in the household of the duke of Penthièvre, who remained his friend throughout his life. Having studied for some time at the artillery school at Bapaume he obtained from his patron a captain’s commission in a dragoon regiment, and in this capacity it is said he displayed
